Cadillac plans to launch a high-performance variant of the popular Escalade SUV this summer that starts at nearly $150,000. It will become the most expensive Cadillac, or about $46,000 more than the highest-priced 2022 Escalade trim, the Sport Platinum.
The 2023 Escalade-V, the first-ever Cadillac V-Series SUV, will be built in small volumes, Cadillac said.
The SUV packs a supercharged, hand-built 6.2-liter V-8 engine with a 10-speed automatic transmission — a combination that produces 682 hp and 653 pound-foot of torque.
The V-Series branding means that the full-size SUV will be capable of zipping from 0 to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds. But the Escalade-V is meant for everyday use, not the track use for which Cadillac V-Series Blackwing models are known.
“From a racetrack standpoint, I think most people understand that as a full-size SUV with a center of gravity that’s so high, they’re not really designed for true performance and true track experiences.”
General Motors’ Super Cruise hands-free, driver-assist technology will be optional, priced around $2,500, and Cadillac expects late availability because of tight global microchip supplies.
Cadillac has prioritized Escalade output during the chip shortage, making it the brand’s top-selling U.S. nameplate in 2021 and the first quarter.
Cadillac is launching the Escalade-V as it prepares to ramp up an electric vehicle portfolio. Cadillac began limited production of the Lyriq electric midsize crossover in March, and the brand plans to go all-electric by 2030.
Dealers will sell the Escalade-V through traditional allocations. Cadillac will not open a reservation system for the SUV.
The V-Series will also be available on the longer Escalade ESV. Cadillac has not released pricing for the Escalade ESV V-Series, but the traditional ESV starts at about $3,000 more than the Escalade.
The traditional Escalade will receive minor updates, such as additional colors, for the 2023 model year, Schiavone said.